Frameless spring-bed.



T. A. B. PUTNAM.

PRAMELESS SPRING BED.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.16, 1908.

959,1 64;. Patented May 24, 1910. V

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

T. A. B. PUTNAM. FRAMELESS SPRING BED. APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 16, 1908.

' Patented May 24, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 k v Qt I INVENTOR WITNESSES: MJ- fis 1 A'zfivmeyx. Q QMM/MJ ANDREW M c0v womumoa-umms waswmcwv 0 c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. B. PUTNAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 CYRUS F. TIBBALS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FRAMELESS SPRING-BED.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. B. PUT- NAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Frameless Spring-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring beds and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In beds which are provided with woven wire springs, it is the custom to mount the springs upon a wooden or other frame which is detachable from the bed proper. The springs are necessarily stretched tightly on the frame, and as the members of the latter are rigidly connected, the frame with its spring is very unwieldy, difiicult to adjust in place and remove, and requires considerable space for storage purposes. Because of the large size of the frame it is difficult to ship, and the springs are apt to be injured in transportation.

According to my invention I provide a spring bed having springs of the usual kind in which the use of a spring frame is entirely avoided, the springs being supported wholly by the head and foot boards of the bed.

My invention moreover provides a means whereby the springs may be rolled or wound upon a roller or other member carried by the head or foot board, preferably without disconnecting the springs from the opposite member.

My invention also provides a means whereby the springs may be adjusted to any required tension.

A further feature of improvement consists in the provision of side bars which are capable of being removed and folded, so that the entire bed may be very compactly arranged for shipment or storage purposes.

The invention also includes other imrovements which will be hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the invention,-Figure l is a side elevation of a bed in its extended position; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section showing details of construction; Fig. 3 is a horizontal view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4L is a side elevation of the head and foot boards of a bed in folded condition,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1908.

Patented May 24, 1910. Serial No. 467,902.

the springs being shown as wound and the side bars being removed. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the complete bed lying fiatwise and showing the mode of packing the various parts thereof; Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the use of side bars having the usual connection with the head board; Fig. 7 is a modified form of winding mechanism for the springs.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the head board and B the foot board of any usual form of bed. Ordinarily these parts, together with the side bars C, will be made of iron or other metal.

D indicates the woven wire springs, which may be of any usual or suitable construction. The springs D are fastened at one end to the foot board or head board (shown as the foot board) either detachably or permanently as desired. In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the end of the springs is clamped against the usual cross piece E of the foot board by a strip F screwed into such cross piece.

Between the two uprights of the head board A is preferably arranged a winding roller G, which preferably comprises a metal shaft H (Fig. 3) to which the springs are attached, either directly or to a wooden roll I as shown. The shaft H has bearings in the two uprights of the bed, and 011 one side preferably extends through the upright and is provided with some means by which the shaft may be turned by hand. In the construction shown the shaft is provided at its end with a wing-nut J, but any other manually operative device may be employed. For instance the shaft may be squared and provided with a crank or other device if de sired. By these means the springs may be rolled up upon the shaft H so that the springs are compactly arranged thereon as illustrated in Fig. 4, the foot board and head board being brought together as illustrated in this figure. It is also desirable that the shaft H be capable of operation to place any desired tension upon the springs when the bed is extended for use. To hold the springs at the proper tension, I mount a ratchet wheel K upon the shaft H, and provide a pawl L upon the upright of the bed which is adapted to engage the ratchet in the manner shown. By this means as the springs become stretched in use they can be adjusted to restore their original tension.

Preferably the side bars 0 are each formed in two parts hinged together at their ends as best seen in Fig. 1. By this means the side bars may be folded into the condition shown in Fig. 5, so that they do not occupy any more space than the width of the bed.

The side bars may be connected with the head and foot boards in any suitable manner, as by screwthreaded bolts M fixed tothe ends of the boards, which pass through holes in the head and foot boards. Nuts N may be provided for securing the parts against movement. If desired the ends of the side bars may be hinged to the head and foot boards, and the side bars used as toggles for tensioning the springs. In this case it is preferable to provide some means for preventing collapse of the bars when adjusted. to position. Another method of connecting the side bars with the head and foot boards is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the head board is shown as provided with the usual socket and the side bars with the usual projection adapted to fit the socket.

Instead of using a hand-operated mechanism for winding up the springs, this may be done automatically if desired. In Fig. 7, I have illustrated one means for accomplishing this result. In this figure a strong spiral spring 0 is connected at its outer end to one of the uprights of the head board by a screw P or other means, while its inner end is secured to the shaft H. The result of this construction is that when the bed is extended the spring 0 is placed under tension which is sufficient to rewind the spring, and the head and foot boards are brought together. Instead of the spiral spring shown a helical spring may be used arranged in the same manner as the ordinary spring shade roller.

Vhile I have shown in detail several embodiments of the invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the invention.

What I claim is 1. A bed having a head board and a foot board, one of said boards having two uprights, a roller pivoted in said uprights and springs connected to the other of said boards, and also connected to said roller, means for rotating said roller to wind up upon it substantially the entire springs, the board carrying said roller having above and below it a suflicient free space to permit said roller to receive said springs, and two side bars connected with said head and foot boards and adapted to be removed therefrom, said side bars being unconnected with said springs. v

2. A bed having a head board and a foot board, one of said boards having two uprights, a roller pivoted in said uprights and springs connected to the other of said boards, and also connected to said roller, means for rotating said roller to wind up upon it substantially the entire springs, the board oarryin said roller having above and below it a suiIicient free space to permit said roller to receive said springs, and two side bars connected with said head and foot boards and adapted to be removed therefrom, said side bars being unconnected with said springs and independent of each other, and said side bars being jointed at their middles whereby the same may be collapsed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEoDoEE A. B. PUTNAM.

Witnesses:

EUGENE V. MYERS, THEODORE T. SNELL. 

